When disaster strikes, humans are not the only individuals in need of care, comfort, and medical attention. For almost every affected family, there is a displaced pet.

The nation's four regional Veterinary Medical Assistance Teams (VMATs) created by the American Veterinary Medical Association have been deployed to the Gulf Coast to aid with rescue efforts in the wake of Hurricane Katrina that devastated parts of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama.

"Each one of these teams has about 50 to 70 members, made up of veterinarians, vet techs, and others," said James Hamilton, D.V.M., of Southern Pines Equine Associates in Southern Pines, North Carolina, team commander of VMAT-3, which along with New England-based VMAT-1, Maryland-based VMAT-2, and Midwest-based VMAT-5 have mobilized to aid animal victims of Hurricane Katrina.

VMATs are deployed only in response to an invitation by the governor of a state where their services are needed. In regions declared a disaster area by the President, such as those affected by Hurricane Katrina, deployment is supported in large part by federal funds.

Team members are federal employees, but they are paid only during deployment. They donate their time spent in training and preparing for the crucial moment when they are activated.

Once activated, the VMAT's mission is to assist local veterinarians in caring for animals and provide oversight and advice during a disaster. They help to coordinate efforts of state and local officials, veterinary medical associations, the state veterinarian, Federal Emergency Management Agency, humane groups, the American Red Cross, and search and rescue groups.

VMAT's duties also include decontamination of animals, advice on disposal of animal carcasses, collection of samples for animal disease diagnostics, and help to contain disease outbreaks.

Each highly trained team is composed of medical personnel, including veterinarians, technicians, epidemiologists, and toxicologists, and lay personnel such as trainers and animal handlers who provide support services.

"We even have some firefighters and paramedics, so we have a big mix of people," said Tomas Gimenez, Dr.Med.Vet., a professor of animal science who specializes in horses at Clemson University and a member of VMAT-2.

Through the use of practice drills, VMAT members become skilled at mobilization to arrive at a site, ready for action, within 24 to 48 hours of deployment. Each member carries a three-day supply of food, water, and personal necessities, plus veterinary medical supplies and equipment. Upon arrival at the site, VMATs set up a veterinary field hospital and dig into action.

Gimenez and his wife, Rebecca, a veterinarian and Ph.D. who is a major in the United States Army Reserve, regularly offer large-animal rescue courses to local fire and rescue teams throughout the U.S. The two large-animal veterinarians also have presented these seminars to train VMAT members in these same skills. --Denise Steffanus